Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching
by DB Staff
So, what are we all watching this week?
What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…
missvictrix
Currently covering: One Dollar Lawyer
Curtain Call: I really enjoyed our second week! As expected, I am all about the old school feels that are shooting out of this drama left and right, and I really like how we’re getting hints of how the house of cards is going to quickly collapse. There are soooo many dangling ends and dangers at this point, and the utter carelessness of our actors on “vacation” just epitomized that. Do they not realize the gravity of what they signed up for? They might be good at acting, but they’re not very good with the common sense. Also, can they stop switching to their Seoul accents while they’re in their bedroom, please?! Or if you’re gonna do that, at least whisper.
mistyisles
Revenge of Others: I’ve only watched the first episode so far, but I’m intrigued. Not crazy about the whole terminal illness thing, but still intrigued enough to keep going for now.
Behind Every Star: I liked the first episode, but the second was what hooked me. That graveside scene had me crying and laughing at the same time, and if that’s an indication of what we can expect from the show as a whole, I’m here for it!
Secret Royal Inspector and Joy: The end of Blind’s run left me craving more Taecyeon, and I had some extra time on my hands, so I decided to pick up this show that I missed when it aired last year. Turns out, it’s exactly what I didn’t know I needed! I’m about halfway through and I love everything about it — the leads, the side characters, that one sympathetic villain, the tragic crown prince storyline with all its angst and longing, just everything.
DaebakGrits
Currently covering: Behind Every Star
Love is for Suckers: I have mixed feelings about this drama right now. I still look forward to it each week, but I’m sooooo frustrated with the love triangle that I’m on the verge of jumping overboard and swimming over to a new ship: the surprisingly adorable pairing between our chef and webtoon artist. There’s still room for two ships in my metaphorical harbors, but I’m going to need Yeo-reum and Jae-hoon (to a lesser extent) to get their heads out of their asses. Yeo-reum needs to stop being so passive about everything — from dealing with the bulldozer that’s Chae-ri to addressing her feelings for Jae-hoon. Logical me is like, “Well, it makes sense that she’s not willing to address her feelings so soon after her failed almost-marriage. It’s a dumb move on the writers’ part for trying to make a rebound into a romance.” But the romantic in me is yelling, “Do something to repair your relationship with Jae-hoon!” And Jae-hoon, my dude, why you thought confessing your feelings so soon after the demise of her last relationship is beyond me. It’s like he’s mad at her for not wanting to start a new relationship two days after her last one ended, and everyone but him — and the writers, apparently — can see why that’s a bad idea. If Jae-hoon ends up with Ji-yeon (who has the personality of a plain, un-syruped pancake) because the writers are trying to create a story all about the importance of “timing” in relationships, I’m going to pull out my hair.
solstices
Currently covering: The Golden Spoon
The Three Musketeers: This musical is so much fun! Maybe it’s because I watched the second-last Seoul show, but the cast was certainly having a blast onstage and giving it their all, which translated to crackling chemistry and captivating camaraderie. I find it absolutely adorable how the older veteran cast, who play the titular three musketeers, have basically adopted baby musketeer Kyoung-yoon as their son. That nearly ten-minute adlib segment was comedy gold! Also, I’m still in awe over how exhilarating the combat choreographies were, and how well the actors pulled off the swordfighting. The musical was a charmingly sincere take on a classic story, and I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering by the end.
Mental Coach Jegal: I came for Kang Young-seok, and stayed for the No Medal Club (and Kwon Yul). So I’m going to try and remember this show for the endearing characters it gave us, rather than its disappointing ending. Our characters often doled out nuggets of wisdom, and one in particular resonated deeply, becoming my favorite line of the show: “It’s okay to cry, and it’s okay to falter. The moment when we are at our weakest is also the beginning of our growth.” The drama may have stumbled its way towards the finish line, but at its core it was always full of heart. I’ll certainly remember its uplifting message of learning to forgive, embrace, and above all, treasure oneself.
jenzy
Love is for Suckers: This show has me grinning like an idiot. It’s giving Fight My Way meets unREAL in the best ways. I’ve always loved Lee Da-hee, but as someone who never considered herself a Choi Siwon fan, I’m so surprised at how well he does the tender scenes or conveys all those pining feelings with a *look* and a low voice. Like, come on guys, that confession scene??? That had to be one of the most understated, confident, swoonworthy things I’ve seen in a while.
Boys Before Flowers: I’m having a blast revisiting the 2000s camp classic. The cheese! The outfits! The crazy plot points! The (slightly toxic by 2022 standards) masculinity! Sam Levinson wishes he had this team when he wrote Euphoria.
RELATED POSTS
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (November 5, 2022)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (October 29, 2022)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (October 22, 2022)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (October 15, 2022)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (October 8, 2022)
- Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching (October 1, 2022)
Tags: Behind Every Star, Boys Before Flowers, Curtain Call, Love is for Suckers, Mental Coach Jegal, Revenge of Others, Secret Royal Inspector and Joy, What We're Watching
Required fields are marked *
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
1 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
November 12, 2022 at 5:03 AM
Love is for suckers
Waiting two weeks for this show was so stressful, watching the show added more stress. I just need some calm and for the hurt to stop. So many hurting people putting on a brave face.
Three bold siblings
Will watch the weekend’s episodes on Monday. I am enjoying it but I wonder if I am not built for watching weekenders, I hate pantomime, it was the worst part of my job having to go with the children for work. I thought it was an English tradition but I have noticed a trend for certain dramas to portray female characters in a way that would be great on the stage during the Christmas season but it feels ridiculous to see it on a modern tv shows. I end up hating the character for letting women down rather than whatever their role is meant to be in the show.
Cheer up
Still only in it for the bean. Hoping the mystery plot is cleared up next week and we can see the romances play out.
Behind every star
Started this one it was ok. I liked that it raised some important issues re the difficulties for female actors of a certain age but I don’t recognise the cameo actors so any in jokes are lost on me. Apart from the mystery around the intern and the threats to stay away from the sweet rookie actor I didn’t engage with any of the team.
Curtain call
Started to watch this week’s episodes however the tension did not make it a relaxing watch so I am putting this one on hold so I can binge watch later for the bean.
Good manager
Episode 13 with seven more to go 🥺 We are finding out more about Yul being on a train he doesn’t know how to get off and learn that he is resigned to staying for the duration and enjoying the ride. Also good to see how the cleaner became involved. The intern is never seen doing any work for either her TQ team she is assigned to or the prosecution service who installed her in the company yet no one is suspicious or pulls her up on it, instead we see she gone full on native doing the surveillance for the accounting team.
100 days my prince
Put on hold as too much politics and hard to fast forward through it I am hoping to finish over the weekend.
Completed
Gaus electronics
Enjoyed it to the end.
Love in Contract
I barely made it to the finish line. It was a hard earned bean.
One dollar lawyer
Glad they managed to tie up the loose ends. Overall it was good but it was not a smooth process watching towards the end.
Required fields are marked *
Blue5
November 12, 2022 at 9:33 PM
I have been thinking of words to describe love z for suckers for days now...
You just summed up my feelings RN
Required fields are marked *
2 Radily
November 12, 2022 at 5:04 AM
Gaus Electronics (Episode 11-12) - Mood progression: C / C- / C+ / C+ / C+ / B-
Not gonna lie, it was slightly anti-climatic that Moo Myung was the culprit behind all the random incidents because the show’s poster had him inside and I was expecting the reveal. While the show definitely made me laugh, I was expecting a lot more for a show having Kwak Dong Yeon as the lead. Regardless, I remain a satisfied viewer of this show.
Love in Contract (Episode 15-16) - Mood progression: C- / C- / C- / D+ / D+ / D+ / D+ / D+
I was worried about when I’ll watch Go Kyung Pyo again since I’m too squeamish to watch his upcoming show, but it turns out he might be working alongside Kang Hanna?! That’s a dream pairing for me! Bonus points if we could also get Kang Hyung Suk casted in that as well: he was definitely a scene stealer throughout this drama.
Blind (Episode 15-16) - Mood progression: C- / C- / D+ / D+ / D+ / D / D / D
Did Charles even do anything significant besides killing himself? It’s so convenient that In Sung and Mad Dog, arguably the psychopaths of their sides, took care of each other, or that Sung Hoon survived past the suicide to tell the truth (I’ll say it’s main lead privilege). Interestingly there wasn’t any plot twist with Sung Joon’s team: I had expected something.
Behind Every Star (Episode 1-2) - Mood: C-
What a disappointment: I was hoping so much for this to be an improved version of Shooting Stars but instead this show just throws us a potentially incestuous love line? And worse of all the pairing is between two actors which I’ve a lot of affection for! The cameos were fine but I don’t know if the show will’ve enough meta material for the entire run?
Love is for Suckers (Episode 9-10) - Mood: D+
Oh, I’m kinda digging the chef and webtoon writer together after that meal? Well, she’s still too good for him but he did treat her with sincerity and even comforted Jae Hoon. I still think the rest of the drama is a bore from the IVF arc to the potential addition of Chae Ri into the Jae Hoon harem to the predictable makjang trauma to the boring haunted house.
The Golden Spoon (Episode 13-14) - Mood: D
It’s kinda amusing how the writer just did a speed run for the webtoon artist: he learned the truth, got angry, reconciled with his feelings, indirectly confronted Seung Cheon and got stabbed for him for the cliffhanger. I’m surprised the show even bothered resolving Jang Gun’s arc when Mun Ki’s loveline went nada: a pity that both actors were terribly wasted.
Cheer Up (Episode 9) - Mood: D-
At least the mystery hasn’t been dragged out into the third-quarter stage, I guess? But the show’s already struggling in giving everyone their due spotlight in the narrative because there’s just so! many! random! romances and family issues and suspicious red herrings. And the writer even shot the cheerleading arc by adding in such an egregious plot...
Required fields are marked *
3 miso
November 12, 2022 at 5:06 AM
Spent all my free time catching up on dramas and I'm finally all caught up! What I watched over the last two weeks -
COMPLETED
The Law Café - Binge-watched most of it and enjoyed it more than most. Lee Se-young was great.
May It Please the Court - Not a good thriller nor a good legal show.
Love in Contract - Watching this became a chore once I realised I actively disliked the FL and the SML. Finished for Gwang-nam, who really deserves a better family.
One Dollar Lawyer - Been a while since I've seen a drama implode due to behind-the-scenes drama. Sad that it had to be this one but it wrapped up well enough.
ONGOING
The Queen's Umbrella - Loving this. Easily binged all 8 episodes this week - always a good sign. Rooting for the Grand Princes o(* ̄▽ ̄*)ブ.
Curtain Call/i> - Though it looks and feels a bit dated (Kwon Sang-woo's character is straight out of a 2000s drama), I still like it. What a relief to watch a show where the characters are likeable.
May I Help You - Another drama where the characters are likeable. The FL's dad and ML have the most adorable friendship. I hope we're not headed for a serial killer storyline with the creep who was following Dong-joo.
PLANNING TO WATCH
The First Responders - purely because it focuses on professions we don't see much of in k-dramas.
C-DRAMAS
Binged The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty. The ML was a bit too different from the book for my liking but it's a good enough adaptation overall.
Light Chaser Rescue was, sadly, yet another quick drop.
Required fields are marked *
bbstl 🧹
November 12, 2022 at 7:20 AM
The best thing about Love in Contract was finally getting to hear Gwang Nam sing a second time, if only for 4 phrases. What a wasted, and mistreated, wonderful character he was.
Required fields are marked *
miso
November 12, 2022 at 7:55 AM
Gwang-nam star singer spin-off 🤲
Required fields are marked *
4 miss h
November 12, 2022 at 5:07 AM
Under the Queen’s Umbrella: While this drama has typical palace politics and scheming, it feels exciting and different. I love how much trust the Queen has in her kids. The taekhyeon finally begins and is quite fun aside from the scheming and murder attempts. Prince Hodong was adorable; He just wants to eat yummy food. How can I not root for Seung-nam when he jumps off a cliff to prove a point.
Love Is For Suckers: I may remain frustrated with our OTP, but I am unexpectedly rooting for the chef and webtoon writer. After this week’s episodes, my favorite characters may just be Dae-sik and Hye-jin. They are not only great friends but a lovely couple. Reality shows love to exploit people’s trauma; the writer got that right, but it kind of made me dislike Yeo-reum.
Behind Every Star: Most adaptations bare little resemblance to the original, but this was pretty much a scene-by-scene adaptation. The only real differences was Jae-in being straight, the guest actors in Episode 2 being two men instead of two older women, and everything being more PG. It’s no surprise a Korean adaptation wouldn’t make a lead bisexual or have someone accidentally make out with their brother. It’s been a couple years since I watched S1 of Call My Agent, so I was entertained despite knowing the story. Cho Yeo-jung was great in her guest starting role. I thought all the actors were well cast though the actor playing Jin-hyuk could tone it down.
Gaus Electronics: I miss this drama already. The finale was as funny as the other episodes. Kwak Dong-yeon needs another lead role because he is adorable.
Curtain Call: This drama fills me with dread about what is to come, but I’m liking it. Jae-hoon and Yoon-hee are both very smart playing their roles and very dumb.
Love In Contract: Of course they had to throw some noble idiocy in at the last minute, but at least it was resolved quickly. This was not a good drama, but Ji-ho was adorable and had me seeing Go Kyung-pyo in a new light.
Revenge Of Others: This completely flew under my radar until I saw the recap for Episode 1. Does Disney+ even want their kdramas to be a success? It’s weird how all the dramas it makes or licenses don’t seem very Disney. This is very dark, but I really like Shin Ye-eun in this role, and it’s nice to see Lomon again after All Of Us Are Dead. I’m not quite sure what I think of it or know where it is going, but I will tune in next week.
Shadow Detective: I like this drama, but these were not my favorite episodes. I knew it would lose any humor and go the predictable route. The end of Episode 6 is either a misdirect or Friend has a partner.
The Empire: I was surprised at the reveal that Kang Baek is gay. There was really no foreshadowing about that at all that I remember.
Required fields are marked *
sorrynotsorry
November 12, 2022 at 8:04 AM
Thanks for the info on Behind Every Star. I watched the first 2 seasons of Call My Agent and didn't know if I wanted to watch this if it was a true adaptation. I tend not to be interested if I watched the original which is why I liked the Korean adaptation of The Good Wife.
Required fields are marked *
5 Dorotka
November 12, 2022 at 5:07 AM
Gaus has finished... and I miss it. I loved all characters (it really was a nice ensemble drama and not just few main leads) ... and the show made me laugh till the very end - if I should pick up one laughing-out-loud moment from the finale, it would be the 2 chairmen passing each other, one on the wheel chair and one on the emergency bed. As a seasoned kdrama watcher, I was in stitches 😂😂 The introduction of Aziz as the office maknae at the end was the oh-but-of-course! aha moment for me and I loved it. Season 2, please!
Love in Contract - the only positive thing in episode 15 was Go Kyungpyo in blue sweater (in that final scene). Esthetically awesome.
The best thing in the whole show was Jiho (and Go Kyungpyo as Jiho)... and Gwangnam. For those two the show was worth watching. (And sometimes for Haejin... and his smexy voice 😁).
Everything else is on pause, because not only did I continue with Lighter and Princess, but I started Shining For One Thing as well. I'm about 8 episodes in of each drama and while in the beginning I preferred Lighter, the more I watch, the more is my love shifting from Lighter to Shining. Perhaps I more need some high-school sweetness 🙂 (Zhang Wansen is soooo cuuute 😍) than a bunch of college students who are not always likeable (I especially dislike the selfish dorm friend of the heroine).
Waiting with 1$ Lawyer for Beanies' feedback as I heard the disappointment over the later episodes... and noticed the dispute between the writer and the production team.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 6:01 AM
Yes!! Season 2 for Gaus!!
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 9:05 AM
Me too
Required fields are marked *
6 cat-cric-kat
November 12, 2022 at 5:08 AM
CRICKET - only cricket today - too busy with antics
T20 international world cup final tomorrow -
England vs. Pak - ahha - @jayton i assume for now you as a England supporter - happy - Rain didn't do much.
Pak being pak - almost out of the tournament - had to win 2 matches and hope that other team lose their own match - and wow - it happened and they are in semi-final facing New Zealand whom they usually beat in World tournaments and wow they are now in Final.
Pak - almost at airport to now playing final tomorrow.
South Africa - needed to win match and they would have been in Semi-final - but South africa being typical in world tournaments - lost the match and Pak went into semifinal
Rain - South africa needed 1 point and that 1 point was taken from them - who - rain did it.
In tests rain and weather is extra spice but in ODI and T20 rain does much damage but this whole awesome tournament actually became exciting because of rain - TILL 5th match no team had reached semi-final - awesome tournament for awesome competitive matches - but bad bad scheduling - bad bad advertising and promotion.
Tomorrow let's see who wins it -
Required fields are marked *
cat-cric-kat
November 12, 2022 at 5:16 AM
Turkish drama - yeah yeah i said won't watch any - but can't do with this garbage of drama and that family drama i have to watch -
Hero is womanizer - shown as - new girl every week and still has girlfriend - gets arranged married - now into heroine.
Father is already having lon term relationship with another.
heroine's father - domestic violence - child abuse - and trying to milk the youth of his daughters by marrying them off in rich house. This drama has nothing new - but its rating are in too good - 2 hours episode and after 8 episodes - nothing much has happened - this is time of like 8 cinema movies aka 8 different stories and here we have nothing to show.
Watching it to show support to the heroine - She's facing too many things and ofcourse she has to give a ale child too.
You, at times, want to punch the hero. rascal he is.
but in this type of dramas and stories - hero-heroine fall in love and hero becomes more sensible. nonsense.
Next week - for tv dramas and december for cinema.
Required fields are marked *
Sifimoyo
November 16, 2022 at 2:27 AM
I thought the organisation was absolute crap. Afghanistan only played two matches because of the weather and they were magic to watch. Yes England won, but it was a much tougher battle than the score would suggest and a fascinating match. I have become a real fan of Hales - he did three years in purdah because of a stupid drug conviction (stupid him, not stupid conviction) so it was about time they welcomed him back into the fold. I just love watching him bat, so elegant and such great balance. Pity he's getting a bit old now. I have an 11 year-old granddaughter who is playing in the senior team at her school. She played her first match (the only concession is that the 18-year old fast bowlers were not allowed to bowl at her). She came on to bowl and. you could see them all thinking OMG who's little moppet is this?? First over, 3 dots, LBW, dot, middle stump out of the ground. She was 3-17 after five overs and they take her seriously now. Since you are clearly an extremely knowledgeable fan I thought you might have an eye on how cricket is coming on the female side.
Required fields are marked *
7 welh
November 12, 2022 at 5:13 AM
CURTAIN CALL (Ep. 3-4): It still has a weekender vibe with many orbiting story lines. But the heart and soul of the premise, Grandma's long awaited "reunion" has gotten set to the side. Moon-seong has being detoured by Se-yeon and the vacation holiday was very odd if the whole reason for the deception was for Grandma to reunite with her lost grandson. They spend too little time together. I think people are still bothered by the deception and how it will unravel to unnecessarily hurt people.
BEHIND EVERY STAR (Ep. 1-2): Jo Yeo Jeong took on risky cameo role which could publicly stigmatize herself (as being " too old or not pretty enough" to be a film lead over 40) even though I think she looks great (10 + years younger than her age.) Her cameo had a full story arc completed in one episode. Her presence and performance out-shined the regular cast members. She was great. At the end of episode 1, I wondered if all the cameo guests will do the same. But episode 2 was not as good as the first one. The cameos were weaker and the main cast story lines not very interesting.
Required fields are marked *
8 Dorotka
November 12, 2022 at 5:17 AM
First time I see my comment is awaiting moderation.... wondering why...
Required fields are marked *
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
November 12, 2022 at 5:26 AM
It should pass through quickly it’s usually a random word that makes no sense as to why it would be picked up as dodgy.
Required fields are marked *
Dorotka
November 12, 2022 at 6:13 AM
Ah, OK. Thanks.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 9:04 AM
It happened to me once- after a while the comment posted.
Required fields are marked *
9 Blue (@mayhemf)
November 12, 2022 at 5:20 AM
I ended up with too many dramas on my plate. Hope there aren’t More premieres.
Curtain Call I am quite enjoying this drama. Not sure how long before he gets caught!!!
Behind Every Star It was a good premiere. Haven’t seen the original. Will continue.
Cheer up I am losing interest. The cheer squad is cute and I like them together. Was nice to see them on stage. But the thriller angle and love triangle is making me lose interest. I see myself dropping this after next week if nothing happens.
Love is for suckers It’s just getting messier and frustrating.
Winter Night (cdrama) well, that twist was expected. But I still don’t know what’s the point of all this. I will probably finish it. It’s been a FF watch anyway.
Thank you Doctor (cdrama) I see Bai Yu, I click play. Right now he is this annoying egoistic doctor. Hoping to see his growth. Not a big fan of Yang Mi. I don’t know, her delivery just doesn’t work for me. It falls flat. But her character is good and rides a bike! I don’t see much chemistry between them so far. will see a few more episodes. It’s going to be a slow burn romance. But, 40 episodes is a lot 😅
Waking Love up (cdrama 2011) Roy Chiu 🥰. Made it to episode 16!
In the pipeline - Silent (jdrama). Hopefully I will catch up during the holidays.
Required fields are marked *
10 Kafiyah Bello
November 12, 2022 at 5:31 AM
Cheer Up: Talk about an exhaustingly tedious love "triangle," even though it really isn't. The best part of this episode was watching the parents watch their kids with pride. It is really sweet.
Behind Every Star: I enjoyed the set up. I am slowly removing the French version from my mind so I can enjoy this as it is and not compare it to the French one.
Love is for Suckers: The ending was so random. It was sweet that he did that, but it was weird and all I could think at the end was at least she doesn't get the squishy squish in her shoes. It just kind of came out of no where. Anyway, I love the webtoon artist, I don't like the chef. I also really hate that they just barely mentioned the one woman's eating disorder and that the mic people weren't sympathetic. It was really sad.
Love in Contract: The pros Ji Ho, Gwang Nam, and Sang Eun. They were the best part. GKP was really fantastic as Ji Ho and I hope he plays romantic leads more often in the future. As for Gwang Nam, I want a drama for him, where he is living his best life.
The First Responders: I am really looking forward to this!!
Required fields are marked *
11 Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 5:58 AM
Love in contract. It’s over. I got a bean. I don’t think I’ll ever remember this drama.
Love is for suckers. I’m holding for Kang PD. I don’t really like leads, and I specially don’t like ML almost harassing FL into make her say “I like you too”. Hope last scene is just imagination, but even so, doesn’t FL have feet?
Curtain Call. I tried. KHN is amazing as he only can be, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t connect with the characters, and specially halmoni.
Never give up. So many beanies loving this drama I gave it a try. On episode 3 and liking so far.
I slowly continue watching Happiness and Adamas. Liking both.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 8:01 AM
Nice to see another NEVER GIVE UP fan. I can see where HAPPINESS could be a slow watch. Both are terrific dramas.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 8:50 AM
I am finding the courage to watch episode 6. I don’t like zombies. Zombies are scary 🥺
Required fields are marked *
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 11:42 AM
I don’t watch zombies besides Train to Busan and Kingdom. Watched those basically for FOMO.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 12:42 PM
I haven’t watched any of those, not even got Gong Yoo 😱
12 Kurama
November 12, 2022 at 6:01 AM
Curtain Call I like this drama for its old classic Kdrama vibe.
Cheer Up I wonder how they will make 16 episodes with this story...
Behind Every Star It's nice to see actors being ready to make fun of themselves.
Love is for Suckers The FL became the least interesting plot in her own drama...
May I Help You I'm dropping this one. I have no idea what this drama trying to be.
The Golden Spoon At this point, I want Taeyong to be happy with his mother and sister far from the other characters.
One Dollar Lawyer I guess they did what they could with what they had...
Under the Queen's Umbrella I hope Prince Hodong will find delicious dumplings, he deserves them!
Revenge of others The setting is a little bit too drama-esque but I'm curious about what happened to the brother.
Gaus Electronics I will miss it. It was so funny!
Shadow Detective The casting is 😍
House on Wheels It's nice to see the members getting confortable together now. Rowoon is just a giant baby for them. Kim Min-Ha is really cute. I want to try all their food, it looks so delicious.
Required fields are marked *
13 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)
November 12, 2022 at 6:05 AM
Gaus Electronics: 9.0 I learned a new word from Ma-tan, "misunderf***ing".
One Dollar Lawyer: 6.0 Day 11 - filler episode as a side-effect of their evil sequel arrangements? If the last scene of the finale seemed like it came from left field - nope, it came from the moon. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go watch the 2009 k-movie Castaway on the Moon.
Behind Every Star: 8.5 Director of Pegasus Market & Surplus Princes comes thru again. Cho Yeo-Jeong was brilliant in a guest appearance as herself, but was her "horse" a Pegasus reference?
Cheer Up: 7.0 Disappointing show, but at least we got some cheering this week.
Love Is For Suckers: 7.0 👻👍 To me Jo Soo-hyang is the star of the show. She was one of the best baddies ever in School 2015 and now she's a good nuanced gray-ish character.
May I Help You: 6.0 Arcade PPL 👎
LoveKopiko PPL in Contract: 6.1Revenge of Others: 6.5 It's nice to see some bullies getting what they deserve (and surprising in a Disney production - I'm grew up with Disney content that was much more family-friendly than having the ML smash a baddy's foot with a hammer) but I don't like watching bullying scenes in the first place.
Any bets on what form future Revenges take? Since they've (A) parted ways with the tame little kdrama tradition of exposing baddies and having them punished by law after a minute or two of fake tension with the lead pretending to want pulverize them and (B) made a point of having the FL be a sharpshooter, might they have her shoot somebody? It would be un-kdrama to do that but almost un-American not to. Or maybe she can shoot the tumor out of the ML's brain.
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
November 12, 2022 at 6:24 AM
I thought of Castaway on the Moon too with the final scene!
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 9:01 AM
I miss GAUS, I wish it could have been longer.
Required fields are marked *
14 la wants to feel liberated too
November 12, 2022 at 6:41 AM
Shadow Detective: i love this week's episodes for going diving more into the mystery. I love that we're going through Taekrok's mind as he tries to guess who is the Friend, though i don't like corruption part (duh). Ep 6 cliffhanger left me😲😲😶 we all know he's not the Friend but why? I'm so looking forward to know the "why"
Through the Darkness: Shadow Detective gives me courage to watch this again from the beginning but dang i was wrong. My mental is not ready to watch something this dark, i forget just how dark this show. Maybe watching it slowly would help
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 10:17 AM
TTD it's a hard watch but it is such a good drama. Maybe you should do as I do with Happiness? One episode every ten days and then watching something nice and fluffy.
Required fields are marked *
la wants to feel liberated too
November 12, 2022 at 9:38 PM
This is a nice idea. I don't have any dramas in mind that's fluffy and nice atm, since i rarely watch those kind of dramas, but will try to watch TTD once every ten days.
But do you know that i find Happiness nice and fluffy? Not the drama but the couple. Thanks to the couple, i can use the drama like a safe zone whenever i feel down. Weird isn't it?😂
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 13, 2022 at 1:11 AM
Oh, yes. That is the reason I am watching, because main couple is just adorable. But zombies are really scary...
Required fields are marked *
la wants to feel liberated too
November 13, 2022 at 7:39 AM
😂
I don't know why i called Happiness as a "safe zone" when there is a word "comfort". My poor linguistic skills.
I find the zombies pretty funny though. I like that i don't have to take those zombies seriously😂 probably because i find human much more scary than zombies...
15 Midnight
November 12, 2022 at 7:05 AM
Rewatched Defendant again. As always loved most of it, and then came the last 4 episodes which are rather boring because of the 2ep extension, which is a shame for such a great show.
Required fields are marked *
16 hacja
November 12, 2022 at 7:07 AM
My wife likes to look at, I mean, enjoy the acting of Ji Chang-Wook— so we’ve had to watch every one of his dramas, some a couple of times, and catching up on fall dramas, we are now watching If You Wish Upon Me. I’m a little annoyed that of all the shows we’ve missed we started with this one. After all, its not as if, earlier in the year, I made her watch a salvation drama with overly sentimental episodes and a dying dog just so I could see a few closeups of a stunningly beautiful actress playing a grim reaper with pink hair…oh…that’s right… I guess I did do this to her. So I’ll let her JCW obsession slide this time.
I don’t want to offend anyone, but in my opinion, with the sole exception of Healer, shows starring Ji Chang Wook have, like this one, been, well, just okay. They all have really interesting premises, and I give him credit for trying to play different types of characters. But they all fail to live up to the initial set up, usually because of weak writing, sometimes because of his co-stars, but also (don’t tell my wife I said this) sometimes because of JCW himself.
We haven’t finished If You Wish Upon Me yet—we have a few episodes to go, but I have an uneasy feeling that its going to get violent, and the theme of redemption is going to get awfully muddled. I hope I’m wrong. Maybe the nuns and volunteers will come through with some movingly persuasive arguments that lead the violent gangster who beats up people with his golf club to employ his golf skills for good, providing a lesson to dying patients, so they can hit the green as their last wish!
Required fields are marked *
hacja
November 12, 2022 at 7:09 AM
As a postscript to my above post, of all Ji Chang-Wook vehicles I’ve seen I want to put in a good word for an unpopular one, The K2, which we rewatched when my wife was recuperating from an illness and not up to more serious fare.
Once you accept the premise that rival politicians are employing vast armies of thugs to battle each other, the show is pretty well plotted, with good action scenes, and maintains tension throughout. I also liked the Snow White reference to the mirror as a computer. And speaking of stunning actresses, which I always enjoy doing, Song Yoon Ah, chewing up the scenery as the evil queen, is extremely appealing. With apologies to the citizens of the Republic of Korea, if she asked me to betray your nation, I would be compelled to do so.
But, back to JCW, there are two other aspects of K2 that elevate it IMHO above every one of his other shows except Healer. It contains one of the greatest shower scenes in the history of Kdrama abdominal muscle display. I say this as a connoisseur of the trim stomach, because of the decades I spent futilely trying to achieve some sort muscle definition in the midriff.
Also, it has, without a doubt, one of the best Subway PPL ever. JCW is on what could be his deathbed, fighting for his life, and what are his last thoughts? He dreams of a picnic eating Subway with the girl he loves. As if a doughy sandwich made with tasteless cold cuts will be sold at the gates of heaven! (Or is it hell?)
So, if you haven’t seen it for awhile and are looking to pleasantly while away 16 hours of your time, give The K2 another chance!
Required fields are marked *
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 7:17 AM
Reading this almost made me wanna give The K2 a try. I have watched only a couple of eps of Lovestruck and the whole of Magic, but it struck me that I didn’t think I should believe in his acting anymore. IMHO, he can’t get out of a certain way of acting (I.e., flirty smile, pleading eyes) and this comes through in almost every role I saw him in after Healer. To me, his best and only great performance was in Healer.
Required fields are marked *
hacja
November 12, 2022 at 7:42 AM
Yes, I think are very right about Ji Chang-wook. K-2 is an action drama, even more than Healer, and does not require him to show much emotional range. Still, JCW does try to play very different characters, and I was impressed in Magic with his singing (assuming he actually was the one singing.) I like to think my wife likes him because he reminds her of a younger me, although I'm afraid the only thing we share is the habit his characters have of muttering to themselves.
Required fields are marked *
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 7:46 AM
That’s very sweet. Now I can see JCW in a tiny wee bit more positive light. :)
hacja
November 12, 2022 at 8:17 AM
@mmmmm That's very nice of you to say, but of course I'm totally joking. Even in my prime, I was as far from the looks of JCW or any kdrama star as you can get, with the one exception that at age 28, 35 years ago, my stomach (and only my stomach) could have appeared in a kdrama shower scene. I believe that is the only reason wife consented to marrying me.
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 9:21 AM
@hacja Having a nice stomach is important! Jokes aside, I’m sure it was your heart she fell for. Or if it was not, you can always work out to have that stomach again! 🥹
Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
November 12, 2022 at 11:00 AM
It was indeed JCW singing - he's done quite a bit of musical theater, and I thought he really shone in the musical numbers, although the music itself was no better than OK. I enjoyed Magic and am one of the few beanies who really liked Lovestruck, but he does seem to have been in far too many medium-to-bad dramas.
The K2 shower fight is truly amazing on many levels and is worthy of extensive study and analysis. The symbolism of the tattoos alone requires multiple viewings.
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 11:36 AM
@elinor Beanies are so intelligent and diligent in certain undertaking. I’m impressed. *laughs*
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 10:19 AM
Goodness!!!!
I can't agree with you more.
I fell hook line and sinker for JCW after Healer and wanted to watch ALL his shows.
And I think I made a trail through MOST of them until I HIT K2.
Yikes!! (BRAKES screeching)
Disliked the show SO much that I think I filled an entire DramaBeans Convo thread around it with fellow 'muck throwers' (monkey with hands over face icon here) ..
I was in fact SO delighted that there existed a tribe of people like me who were pinging the exact same points that gave me the heebejeebs and my skin broke out in cringe-pox!!
The ONLY reason I crawled on elbows and dragged my legs through to Ep 6-7 was for the sake of HOT JCW.
(He did a fantastic action hero part in K2 .. unfortunately washed away and diluted completely by being coupled with one of the worst FL roles EVER I watched on KDrama.
I think her whimpering idiocy is magnified beyond belief because she is cast next to JCW .. Who always looked out of character in each scene with her)
And then there was the wasted 'evil' FL .. my tribe and I LOVED and rooted for her and wished she would have been the main FL with a different plot arc totally. She was sooooo GOOOOD ..
Here as missed opportunity for a RAW true blood Noona Romance ;-p
And after that it started the "not any more enjoyable JCW acts" ~ Suddenly he was ALL HAMMY and AWFUL as an actor :
- Lovestruck in the City
- Even in "Backstreet Rookie" he was teetering on the edge of 'ham -street'
- everything post-2020 he'd collapsed into this "foolish fake smile" act .. such dull roles.
I stopped following his shows.
He seemed more caught up with public adulation of his "YT channel" and reality show kind of puff stuff. AND he seemed to have done some "poorly judged" face-works which further reduced his currency in my drama world.
HEALER and EMPRESS KI were his highlights!!
And Melting me Softly was bearable.
As was Whirlwind Girl 2 ..
Suspicious Partner suffered IMO for the same reason that K2 suffered .. weak .. damsel in distress flower-petal roles by actresses who couldn't bring some rebars into their acts.
Required fields are marked *
sorrynotsorry
November 12, 2022 at 8:11 AM
I learned that no matter how much I like an actor, it will always come down to the writing and k-drama writers I am realizing have trouble writing a cohesive 16 episode drama. With regard to JCW, he's beloved internationally for Healer but in Korea, I think Empress Ki was what really elevated his career. I'm not afraid of a 50 episode drama, but have never tried this one.
Required fields are marked *
spazmo
November 12, 2022 at 11:29 AM
i loved Empress Ki and i didn't or don't remember noticing the extensive number of episodes... it was engaging from beginning to end!
Required fields are marked *
LaurenSophie
November 12, 2022 at 12:19 PM
I watched some of that, and he was very good in it. It's a good drama, and I expect some day to finish it.
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 10:28 AM
@sorrynotsorry
OMYGAWD!!!
You HAVE to watch Empress Ki!!!
Honestly it's one the BEST saeguks on K Drama and the leads JUST take it to a different level.
JCW's best ROLE ..
I so agree with script and direction being essential to the strength of a drama .. and actors can be left to do subpar performances or reigned in by a directorial vision that knows how to shape those talented folk.
JCW I keep feeling has been left to float and do his own lazy acting .. he seems to have lost interest in being an actor. Does the minimal .. packs up and goes to hang out with his buddies or by himself.
I agree with @spazmo I didn't want the show to end!! It was that good.
The other superb sageuk I loved was Hwang Jin Yi
Required fields are marked *
amfalulawatching
November 12, 2022 at 8:22 AM
Empress Ki with JCW was a great watch for me. I actually didn't love Healer as much as others (but that might be because the exceptions were so high).
Required fields are marked *
LaurenSophie
November 12, 2022 at 8:01 AM
Welcome back!
I am both you and your wife when it comes to JCW. He's physically my ideal celebrity type (and I really hope he doesn't go under the knife too much as he gets older because that bone structure needs to be left alone to age gracefully), but with the exception of "Healer," I haven't been able to enjoy his projects. I actually think he's a fine actor, and sometimes, very good. But the writing just hasn't been there for him.
Like a few other leads I can think of whose recent projects have sputtered out, I'd like to see him take a supporting role in a better quality drama. All it takes is one Mr. Gu-type role and I think he'd be back on track. But I realize it may be hard for him and other leading men to be offered roles like that.
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 10:30 AM
@LaurenSophie
I hope you will watch Empress Ki
He really kills it in that complex role
Required fields are marked *
darwi
November 12, 2022 at 12:36 PM
Healer was my first drama, and I felt for the genre and for Ji Chang Wook.
However, if he is very nice to see in pictures, his dramas are not to my linking.
Like you I enjoyed K2 and more when I think about it. It was/is so OTT, but I found out that it's often the case. And the music... I love the music. And Song Yoon Ah has an exellent role.
I had hope for The sound of magic (nope, and the long hair undo the JCW effect on me), then for If you wish upon me (too sentimental). And now I have low hope for The worst evil, because I feel that he will be eclipsed by charismatic Wi Ha Joon. Well, at least he gives good pictures.
Required fields are marked *
17 mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 7:21 AM
No Kdrama on my plate right now. I’ve been rewatching Love between Fairy and Devil (Cdrama) and also watching a cartoon on Netflix (The Dragon Prince). I enjoy both a lot.
I hope Kdrama crops next year will be more interesting for me. My preference is pretty simple- simple, well-executed and acted romances or good rom coms with likable leads and characters. And please don’t add any unnecessary things to complicate this (i.e., a murder subplot). Just do it well. *chaebal*
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 10:21 AM
You have very high standards for this year. The only drama I have watched this year that matches your standards is Our Beloved Summer and A Business proposal. *sighs*
Required fields are marked *
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 10:25 AM
Oh Eaz how much I wish we had more! The good news is I still haven’t watched Our Beloved Summer. Gotta save that one when the mood strikes. And I thought you watched 2521? That one was also very nice. Oh Sh**ting Stars is nice, too.
Required fields are marked *
Eazal
November 12, 2022 at 12:48 PM
Yes, those two as well. Loved SS, enjoyed main couple to bits. Problem with 2521 is that many didn’t like how it ended, although it was a good ending for me, and real.
You should watch OBS, it’s such a beautiful and warm drama.
Required fields are marked *
PYC
November 12, 2022 at 4:17 PM
Yes, Our Beloved Summer is in my top three this year. It’s not a romcom by any stretch but great romance that stays with you for a long while.
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 10:33 AM
@mmmmm
OH All THREE you mentioned are TOP notch KDrama.
Just brilliant in all aspects - story - script - acting - casting - sets - production design - editing - OST and of course ALL came together under a most capable director
Required fields are marked *
Alaskan
November 12, 2022 at 12:57 PM
Have you watched the Cdrama "Love Like the Galaxy?" It's an epic love story with off-the-chart chemistry between the leads. What especially sold it for me was the FL's character.
Required fields are marked *
mmmmm
November 12, 2022 at 8:24 PM
I’ve seen it mentioned by some Beanies here, but no I haven’t come around to it yet. Thanks for the recommendation though! It looks like a good pick, and I’ll try once I can get myself out of this LBFAD rabbit hole. 🐰
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 10:48 AM
@Alaskan
That FL was brilliant. Isn't she also in Hidden Love? She has that typical face shape and look preferred by C-Drama casting team .. BUT she brings a whole box of SUPER acting and adds spunk and great charisma and fire to her roles. You don't even notice the "baby-face" look C Drama shoots for.
What a script and what fantastic characters!!
It tickled my fancy a LOT ..
However the ML was not shooting at par with the FL I felt.
He didn't seem to deliver what I was expecting I guess. and I DROPPED the show .. though it held SUCH PROMISE as a drama (script - act of the rest of the cast - direction).
Well to be honest I came to it after watching three STELLAR C-dramas with off the charts talents ..
~ Chen Fei Yu (in Lighter and Princess)
~ Yang Yang in (Fireworks of my Heart)
~ Chen Zhe Yuan (Hidden Love)
Especially Chen Fei Yu. If he's not distracted and stays true to his talent and calling we'll hear a LOT about him in future. He's JUST 23 .. and gives off Timothy Chalamet / Joaquim Phoenix vives .. Villeneuve could quietly tuck him into the Spice World of Dune .. blue eyes and all .. and he'd SHINE there!!
Later of course I also watched Jing Bo Ran (Road Home)
Wang An Yu (Falling into You)
Xiao Zhan (The Youth Memories)
So my expectation of Chinese actors were trained on these stellar talents and compared to that the ML in LLTG felt wooden.
Just my impression .. don't expect it to be in sync with everyone reading this :-D
Required fields are marked *
Alaskan
October 7, 2023 at 11:46 AM
I had a similar initial reaction to Leo Wu (the ML actor in Love Like the Galaxy) but he did grow on me as the drama developed. Then I watched Nothing But You, where he played an immature and kind of goofy character and I was duly impressed by his range.
Thanks for the heads up on Chen Fei Yu! I haven't seen him in anything yet but I'll be sure to check him out.
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 8, 2023 at 3:13 AM
LOL ..
OKAY I bite back and swallow back my words about ML in LLTG
Twiddling my thumbs last evening I decided to wing it through the show - trusting the MDL 9 rating - and the rave comments .. If nothing else .. just to watch FL do her lovely thing .. Plus the strange mother- daughter dynamic was so NOVEL (by any Kdrama - C-Drama standard standard fare) .. I was curious to see where that takes the show.
Strong enough to run the engine forward even if it splutters at points ;-p
AND .. you ARE SO RIGHT!!!!
I finally GOT the 'look and feel' drama was aiming for in the show with this ML's role .. and I am finally growing a new respect for him AND the drama.
YAY .. hooked FULLY and all pistons ahoy!
p.s. The other time I came across the 'heart pounding' weird mom-daughter dynamics was in HIS DARK MATERIALS (the trilogy - book) between Mrs Coulter and Lyra.
Incidentally Lyra too was left behind by her mom Mrs Coulter. She'll give you goosebumps - BRILLIANTLY played by Nicole Kidman (she hits bulls eye interpreting the role).
The Netflix series though was a 'flop' for me .. the book is such an astounding piece of work.
Sorry I digress.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts :-D
Bosuji
October 12, 2023 at 3:06 AM
OMYGAWD!!
HOW HAPPY AND LUCKY am I to have come on to this thread and decided to go back and give it a try.
The FL thread was what I had decided to HANG on to if anything else.
NOW I finished the show .. and immediately returned to watch Ep 1 AGAIN .. that should tell you just how BRILLIANT it was.
I finally GOT the actor!! He DID grow on me .. and his chosen style of portrayal is TRULY unusual and exceptional, I have not seen in any previous DRAMA till date!
Did you feel that there was a Wes Anderson feel to his role - in fact so much of the show had that feel .. especially the first many episodes.
Somewhere I my heart the show's style had intrigued me enough to go back to try again. But I had not expected to get so swept away ..
The teeny issue I had was with the 'nectarine ending' of the last episode. A Wes Andersen style ending would have made it a 10/10 for Season 2 (part 2) of the show also. But it matters little in the grand beauty of the show.
HEARTY STAND UP OVATION for LLTG
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 12, 2023 at 3:17 AM
Are you registered on MyDramaList?
Or is there a way to check what your watchlist looks like?
Required fields are marked *
Alaskan
October 13, 2023 at 2:13 PM
I'm delighted to hear that you loved LLTG! The FL is one of my favorite characters in dramaland. I readily understood why three very different men fell for her despite her lack of accomplishments and education. Her relationship with the ML was epic, of course, but I thought that her interactions with the scholar were pretty funny. Now that you've seen Leo Wu in LLTG you should check him out in Nothing But You because he plays a completely different character. The romance is not as dramatic but his character shows a lot of growth. The tennis is nice, too.
I checked out Lighter and Princess based on your recommendation and I agree with your assessment of Chen Fei Yu! He so impressed me that I also watched him in a very sweet movie, My Best Summer. I admit I liked his character more in the movie than in L&P because, really, how much brooding genius can a woman take? But I did enjoy L&P a lot. My favorite scene was when Zhu Yun posted the video and then walked out Like A Boss. Thank you for the tip!
As for Wes Anderson, I loved The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Darjeeling Express, et al, but my favorite movie was Fantastic Mr. Fox. Not sure what that says about my taste.
I'm not registered on Mr Drama List, mostly because listing all of the dramas I've seen seems so daunting. But I should.
Required fields are marked *
18 LaurenSophie
November 12, 2022 at 7:50 AM
CURTAIN CALL: This is the one I wish I had the willpower to wait and binge because I think it's designed to be watched that way. But it's also the drama I'm enjoying most right now, so I can't wait! KHN is so good in this, and the tone is both wistful and suspenseful, which I love. I'm not sure how a romance will form out of this initial betrayal, especially since it would seem only possible if that betrayal is revealed quickly. But then the ML has no reason to be in the FL's orbit at all. I'm wondering if she'll end up hiring him to play her boyfriend to fend off the ex?
BEHIND EVERY STAR: I watched one episode of the French show, but don't really remember it, so I came at this with no expectations. It's fine, but not quite as funny as I thought it would be. I did not expect the (faux?) incest storyline to be the only one I care about.
MAY I HELP YOU? There's something about this one that I find addictive. I love the friendship between the FL's dad and the ML, for one. And I like how the FL and ML take turns being weary of one another. I'm not quite sure why the ML had a change of heart and believed that the FL can see ghosts, but it's better than the two of them constantly misunderstanding each other.
LOVE IS FOR SUCKERS: I'd like a little more romantic comedy in this romantic comedy, please. And it doesn't have to come from the leads: the burgeoning connection between the webtoon artist and the Chef would work, but there are some potential landmines there that I'm not sure the writers have the sensitivity to handle well.
I'm slowing making my way through the back-end of THE LAW CAFE. I just like the leads so much, even if the story surrounding them is often flat. I also said a loving goodbye to GAUS this week--such a fun, genuinely funny show! And finally, I must admit that in general, I don't care for C-dramas (I didn't even make it through NIRVANA IN FIRE). I find them slow, overly long, and packed with filler. But I'm liking LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL. I get a little bored here and there, but it mostly holds my interest. I do keep imagining a better Korean remake in my head, though!
Required fields are marked *
Blue (@mayhemf)
November 12, 2022 at 8:51 AM
I feel the same way about Curtain call. I Wish I had waited and binged. It's a story I would have liked to watch in one go.
Required fields are marked *
19 chibi8535
November 12, 2022 at 7:54 AM
New Life Begins: Such a wholesome little romance! The kind that makes your cheeks hurt from squeeing! Bai Jingting is radiating all his golden-retriever energy, and I'm a complete sucker for it! Combines all my favorite tropes of arranged marriages, quirky-but-smart FL, hilarious misunderstandings and possibly monogamous men! ^^
Animals: Another saccharine sweet little j-dorama. Vibes similar to NLB, except it's modern day. No villains, no drama. Conflicts are resolved a tad too easily. Shirasu Jin's dimples are too hard to resist. Bonus find, Finn Wolfhard's fabulously Japanese lookalike. The hair is identical!
Seishun Cinderella: Starring Finn Wolfhard's Japanese Cousin and the j-actress with the 1000-watt smile. Nicely spent 30mins!
Silent: I like how 'relationships' in this drama are not the conventional kind. The lead actor is settling well into his hearing-impaired role. The sign-language scenes are getting less hammy, and more poignant. The FL is a little miscast (was hoping for Komatsu Nana) but the soundtrack is earwormy and I find myself humming along!
Lighter & Princess: Chen Feiyu with blond hair is the shoujo-manga ML from my dreams. Plot is cliched, the college scenes aren't even well done. Sticking for the pretty!
Love is for suckers: Exasperating. I wish Yeo-Reum can redeem herself. She's been an awful friend. I kept waiting for her to comfort Jae-Hoon, telling him he made the right choice and that his Dad still loves him no matter what. Dashed expectations!
Planning to start: Love in Time [a well-done time-warp story, akin to Someday or Oneday] & Shards of Her [a gritty story of violence and sexual abuse starring almost all the who's who of Taiwanese-drama scene!]
Required fields are marked *
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
November 12, 2022 at 8:04 AM
Those last two sound like they could be dark so sounds like you cover the full palate of love and slice of life. Just looked up Love in time and they mention a vampire.
Required fields are marked *
chibi8535
November 12, 2022 at 8:16 AM
https://mydramalist.com/707133-my-secret-roommate
There are lots of drama named that on MDL, so i hope you're talking about the 'Meet me @ 1006' c-drama remake, cuz I was NOT expecting a vampire! xD
But yep, I love good, wholesome stories, so romances and slice-of-life it is! :)
Required fields are marked *
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
November 12, 2022 at 8:33 AM
Let’s hope I found the name of the wrong one, as I liked the sound of a Some day one day type drama but ran screaming at the mention of a vampire! Chinese drama does not seem to come up on Asian Wiki so get trapped on the confusing MDL site.
Required fields are marked *
chibi8535
November 12, 2022 at 9:24 AM
Luckily, this one aired on iQiyi's youtube...
https://youtu.be/L8fqygGnnhE
It's legal and free, so happy watching! :)
Blue (@mayhemf)
November 12, 2022 at 8:54 AM
Ahhhhh!! Bai JingTing.. why is it costume??!!.. Is there too much politics? or is it just costume but feels like a romcom?
I have Love in Time in my pipeline.. I want to watch Shards of Her, but not in a mind space to watch this subject matter. Let me know if you do end up watching it!
Required fields are marked *
chibi8535
November 12, 2022 at 9:31 AM
Oh, i see a fellow fan with an impeccable taste! :) hellooo! ^^
Okay, so the BJT drama is veryyy much a rom-com! (watched 8eps)
The tongue-in-cheek narrative on gender roles is very much akin to 'Romance of Tiger & Rose'. Oh, and BJT's character is also kinda pretend-sickly, like Han Shuo! >.<
The sisterhood would remind you of this year's 'A Dream of Splendor'. The romance luckily, also isn't a slow-burn!
Quite a surprising watch really, it's quickly becoming a sleeper-hit, as word-of-mouth viewers like us get roped into the wormhole of wholesome-ness. I literally have a smile plastered on my face like a silly goose, as i'm typing! Give it shot, I have a feeling you might like it! :)
I JUST need to free up a day to binge and finish Shards, so it'll be likely next week, when i finish the 2ep Specials from Animals! <3
Required fields are marked *
wapz
November 12, 2022 at 12:59 PM
That's actually a very good description of New life begins. I've been unable to figure out what this show has been individually doing right, but you've answered, it has the good aspects of the hit shows without at least for now adopting their lackluster elements.
The leads and their story however, is the best part. I'm with you, grinning like a fool whenever it is them only. Plus I haven't seen a good contract marriage drama done in a long time, this works so well on all fronts.
Blue, it's not late to start but this is well, costume. It isn't that political 1/4th of the way however, I'm sure at one point the politics will get more screentime, hoping the romcom parts stay intact by then.
Required fields are marked *
Blue (@mayhemf)
November 12, 2022 at 1:37 PM
Romance of Tiger/Rose was one of those few costume dramas that I actually liked and finished!
I dropped Dream of Splendor after a point. But I did like the initial part.
I have a long travel coming up next week! I now know what to download. Thanks!
Time to see Captain Bai!! 🥰
Required fields are marked *
♡Peach_Mochi♡
November 12, 2022 at 1:07 PM
I’m loving New Life Begins too. I needed something light and funny to fill the Gaus Electronics hole in my watch list. I’m all for sisterhood, women’s empowerment and hijinks instead of scheming concubines and evil advisers. I hope it maintains the tone until the end.
Required fields are marked *
stpauligurl
November 13, 2022 at 7:05 AM
New Life Begins This is my new crack show right and I binged up to 10 eps last night and like you laughed and giggled so much.
It's as much the group of women banding together and supporting each other as the leads trying to figure each other out. Clearly the ML has fallen for the FL.
Still I'm having a hard time getting used to BTJ with that bun on top of his head.
But I've loved him in every show I've seen him in.
This is a good one to start for sure as it got me out of the LBFD rabbit hole.... at least for now
Required fields are marked *
20 amfalulawatching
November 12, 2022 at 8:11 AM
Wow, I love reading what people are watching. I'm so amazed by how many dramas fans can juggle!!! So, here is my very short list:
Curtain Call: I'm entertained which is all I ask for in my dramas! I haven't hit pause much at all. Because I knew nothing about it when I hit play (except for the actors), I was really surprised by the old school, makjang feel. While it has the music and set up of a classic soap opera, I have a feeling this will take us someplace different.
High Kick: I really needed something to get me through the US elections, and this meets that need! Half hour shows of really questionable comedy---funny and cringey at the same time. But, also a very challenging watch for someone outside the culture. It feels like a sitcom from the 1970's-1990's US, yet it really isn't that old 2006/2007. I wish more shows had 1/2 hour episodes like this. I'm enjoying the watch and have a long way to go!!!
As for the non-Korean drama watches: Just started the Crown (most recent season) and continue the British Baking Show.
Required fields are marked *
21 sorrynotsorry
November 12, 2022 at 8:18 AM
Love in Contract: Officially dropped after 5 episodes. I am not someone that cares that PMY does a lot of rom/coms. I have liked her last 5 or so dramas with Her Private Life being the rare romance drama where I actually get to see a couple fall in love over the episodes. These shows are not without their flaws but easy enough watches. Not this one. I'm out.
I was watching a show with Siwan involving civil service tax dept ...yeah I'm out on this one as well.
Deadwind (Netflix) Nordic Noir from Finland. It's fine but nothing new in the genre.
Nothing really interesting me these days.
Required fields are marked *
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
November 12, 2022 at 8:39 AM
I hope you find something books or dramas to watch. I am listening to audio books set in World War Two and 1920’s era for some reason they have been recommended on my listen next. I like the mix of upper class stories and the regional working class accents and stories from different parts of the country.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 8:50 AM
I am a PMY fan but also stopped watching LOVE IN CONTRACT. Not every plot concept works.
Required fields are marked *
22 MikeyD signed up
November 12, 2022 at 8:25 AM
I'm abruptly watching *nothing* currently. I never even made it to the halfway points of Love Is For Suckers, Love In Contract, Law Cafe, Today's Webtoon or Good Job.
Required fields are marked *
23 bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 8:26 AM
@mistyisles, I am glad you are enjoying SR&J. You mentioned “that one sympathetic villain”. I think you might be referring to baddie Tae-seo (Lee Jae-kyoon) whom @sicarius gave the moniker ‘Bead Boy’. A lot of us really took to that poor guy maybe in the way folks hold on to the black sheep in the family when you know better.
O/T Recently I have been thinking of Bead Boy as I watch CURTAIN CALL. Baddie (real) grandson Moon-sung (Noh Sang-hyun) should be appearing soon and I hope he will evoke sympathy like we had for BB.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 8:36 AM
Also, according to this non Netflix source:
https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/korean-series-the-good-detective-sets-season-2-netflix-release-date/
THE GOOD DETECTIVE 2 (16 eps) will become available on Netflix US on November 18. Interesting that GD2 is also on Viki US’s “Coming Soon” list.
Required fields are marked *
kiara
November 12, 2022 at 9:22 AM
I read somewhere that there will be Shilla sageuk in the future, but I don't remember the title since I don't know the young actors and people behind it.
I'm guessing it will be another version of "Hwarang" and heavy on fantasy.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 9:46 AM
Thanks @kiara for the sageuk tip but that is kind of vague lol.
A cursory google search has come up empty but I will keep looking and it is now on my upcoming sageuk list at No. 13.
MBC’s THE FORBIDDEN MARRIAGE at No. 1 is now on Kocowa’s “Coming Soon” list. Episode one airs Dec. 9. I am hoping it will also be available on Viki US. I canceled my Kocowa subscription.
ALCHEMY is No. 2 and episode one airs Dec. 10.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 10:11 AM
To be more accurate: on my list of upcoming sageuk and historical dramas since not all are sageuks.
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
November 12, 2022 at 12:53 PM
Asfhjll Fantasy Silla???? :o
Required fields are marked *
kiara
November 14, 2022 at 10:48 AM
Here is hoping. I have a feeling we are going to watch it, even if it sucks. 😅
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
November 14, 2022 at 11:50 AM
Oh we will 😅😅
mistyisles
November 12, 2022 at 9:52 AM
That's him! Objectively, I shouldn't like that he's a ruthless killer. But I can't help it — when he cries, I cry.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 11:50 AM
All I can say is keep the tissues handy lol!
Also, SRI&J was Lee Joon-hyuk (1984)’s first sageuk and I thought he passed his sageuk audition with flying colors. I hope we see more of him in this genre.
Required fields are marked *
mistyisles
November 12, 2022 at 12:41 PM
Yes, I was excited to see Lee Joon-hyuk in this too (even if it is only flashbacks)!
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
November 12, 2022 at 12:58 PM
I feel you. I watched that show for him hahaha. Bead Boy will always have my undying love.
Actually I think his arc had a lot of good writing potential, perhaps some of the best of that show, and as Bong Soo said, keep your tissues handy 😭😭
I miss him tho, when's Lee Jane Kyun having another drama, and with long hair again?
Required fields are marked *
💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜
November 12, 2022 at 1:00 PM
Bead Boy 🥺🖤
And, he deserves all the love, murders or no! he only wanted his father's approval and love and made the wrong choices ok.
Required fields are marked *
24 LiSsi
November 12, 2022 at 8:30 AM
Finished Gaus Electronics
Great comedy, great romance, great script using a trope a minute, and wonderful actors – I wish it would have been twice as long!
Finished Love In Contract
So much ridiculousness, and I don’t mean that in a funny way.
The last 4 episodes really annoyed me, and I didn’t enjoy the drama very much before that. This should be a lesson to me to learn to drop dramas, especially if the leads aren’t likeable for me.
The humour and “cuteness” felt totally off for me (Mi Ho sitting in the hallway during the night so Ji Ho and Sang Eun Jin can’t meet up – really??? Buying all that stuff for the hospital room and making a huge fuss was supposed to be funny???...). Then the totally unnecessary separation, and for a reconciliation they sit across a huge table and cry? And then they sit meters apart for planning and later cancelling a wedding when they are already married? I hated the overblown proposal, doing that in public feels like a violation of your partner to me, even more so for a quiet person like Ji Ho. Worst of all: the sudden, inexplicable and complete change in character for so many people: Mi Ho is a loving mother all of a sudden who even cares about other people? The ex-wife, Hae Jin’s mother and especially his father – they all are supportive all of a sudden? The ray of light: Gwang Nam as the queer person who is the only normal one, and the office crew.
Finished Blind
What an important and underrated drama. As usual, it says at the beginning of each episode that this is a work of fiction and not related to real persons, but this is really based on true events. Since I found that out, it hit really hard. Now, the disturbing scenes of children being violated, mistreated and hunted at the beginning make so much sense, they are not there for sensational value. So this is not a thriller with twists and turns just for entertainment, but also to bring this real case to light, which makes it heartbreaking. That aside, Taecyon and Jung Eun Ji did really well and I had a great time watching the culprit being evil with his big eyes and angelic smile.
Once Upon a Small Town
I’m spending a long weekend in the Bavarian Alps, the weather is lovely and when I open the window I can hear cow bells 😊 So what better to watch in the evenings than this show. I loved the country setting and the animal stories, the characters and especially the best second male lead ever, who confesses but promises to stay a friend when he is rejected and actually is true to his word and is very supportive!
One Dollar Lawyer
What happened to this show that was so great in the beginning? Did they lose the script and had to film without one? Did they run out of money and have to cut the show short? Are they really going for a second season? I would be very surprised…
Love Is For Suckers
Complicated relationships, a painful past and the dating show itself make me watch. The horror date was really funny,...
Required fields are marked *
LiSsi
November 12, 2022 at 8:30 AM
The horror date was really funny, and I’m betting on a short-lived love story and a first kiss between our chef and our timid but not-scared-easily wallflower.
Under The Queen’s Umbrella
I was late to this drama, so I was able to watch all 8 episodes in 2 days, I enjoyed that a lot. Kim Hye Soo is great and what I love most is that the driving forces in this palace drama are a lot of women who aren’t all young, slim and beautiful. Looking forward to the second half!
Cheer Up
Again I was surprised at myself that this was the show I missed last week and looked forward to this week. The costumes and cheerleading are back, hooray! I really liked both understated love declarations in this episode, and I can understand both boys’ behaviour in this love triangle. But Hae Yi really really needs to react in some way now. I’m not interested in the mystery, but in the other lovelines and the fate of Theia!
Curtain Call
What will this turn into? An old fashioned family show, a drama about Korea’s history, a romcom or a makjang chaebol show? I really don’t know, but will be watching for Kang Ha Neul and Go Doo Shim for now.
May I Help You
Picked this up because Dramabeans covers it, love it so far. It reminds me a lot of Move To Heaven with a little supernatural added in. It gives me goosebumps (the little boy ep.4-5), laughs (falling on him on the bus, waking up in the same bed) and tears (dead grandma looking forward to finding her own mother in the afterlife, umbrella halmeoni…). I find the writing really good with stories being developed slowly, often in flashbacks, and new people added in. The music is lovely, too. And of course Jun <3
Behind Every Star
Looked into this and am not convinced. The quirkiness (stupid helmet propeller…) and humour don’t work for me, and I can’t relate to the people yet. I’ll give it another two episodes, and then I might apply what I learned from Love In Contract and drop this show.
KDrama friend project:
We’re looking forward to the final of The Golden Spoon. I’m really not sure what ending we will get, but probably the drama will tell us that money isn’t more important than family, no?
After that, not long to wait for season 2 of Alchemy of Souls, that’s a must-see for us.
Required fields are marked *
LaurenSophie
November 12, 2022 at 12:10 PM
So jealous of your weekend in the Alps! Enjoy :)
Required fields are marked *
25 Islander north
November 12, 2022 at 8:32 AM
Off topic, but related...what has happened to koreandrama.org?
Required fields are marked *
Richard Johnson
November 12, 2022 at 10:14 AM
Good question. Has been slow and disappeared at least once before a few weeks ago. If you don't know about it, alternative is asianwiki. Both have provided a useful service. Koreandrama is/was the better organized of the two but didn't include Netflix and other streaming services. It has a pretty deep database, going back to early 2000s. (One of the stupidities and tragedies of the kdrama industry is that no one provides access to those earlier dramas. Viki has the customer-base but not the will. The suits -- especially Korean and Japanese suits -- probably think that kdramas depend on celebrities to draw viewers. The actors in older dramas are no longer celebrities.) Another opportunity for such a popular website as Dramabeans is to buy or rent koreandrama's code and database, assuming its owners are just tired of maintaining it.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 13, 2022 at 7:25 AM
Although I canceled my Kocowa subscription because of a lack of current dramas (from KBS, SBS and MBC) being made available subbed in English Kocowa seemed to be releasing dramas from back in the day.
Required fields are marked *
26 OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 8:47 AM
Among the other things my wife enjoyed this week was the second ENOLA HOLMES detective movie (Enola being the younger sister of Sherlock and his brilliant brother Mycroft). She also enjoyed DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA, a show which proves that you cannot keep a good franchise down. On Prime she returned to Chinese Costume Drama with the very light FAKE PRINCESS. But, best of all she finally got to watch CITY OF STREAMER, which pretty much had her transfixed once she started it. That did not stop her from getting caught up on UNDER THE QUEENS UMBRELLA, which she has been loving.
My respect for the writer of the weekender THREE BOLD SIBLINGS has gone way up. First, the mean younger sister of our ML has been left standing at the altar, earning a solid Huzzah! From me. But the writer has also now assembled some significant potential conflicts: It turns out that the young girl that So-rim’s ex-fiancé dumped her for is the daughter of the CEO that she may end up with (So-rim and said CEO are even pictured turned in towards each other on the show page) meaning that she could potentially become her ex’s mother-in-law. Of course, that means that said younger sister and her potential mate have a huge age gap as well: Automatic family conflict and controversy there, but it is the sort of stuff that weekenders are made of.
Because sometimes a weekender is just not enough, I have also been taking time to watch the daily THE LOVE IN YOUR EYES, which is a cut above the usual such fair, although not necessarily as great as last year’s BE MY DREAM FAMILY which was exceptional. I have to admit that part of the reason for starting this one was last week’s pause in many shows during the National Week of Mourning. Thank goodness we got LOVE IS FOR SUCKERS back this week- it is a good show and Chae-ri has become one of my favorite villians.
BEHIND EVERY STAR started this week. I had been waiting for this one and we watched the first two episodes. I am actually not sure about it at this point. Of course, I have to confess that I have net seen even the original CALL MY AGENT nor the Indian re-make- both are also available on Netflix- so I am not quite sure what to make of it yet, as my expectations may have been off. I will continue to watch it in any case.
I have been looking for news for the reason why the broadcast of the C-drama SHE AND HER PERFECT HUSBAND has been delayed. It was supposed to start on October 13 but then was abruptly called off. I do know that it is not a production problem as the show finished filming in June. No explanations so far but Viki still shows it as “coming soon”. So frustrating. And Netflix now shows THE FABULOUS as starting January 1. I had been under the impression that it would be sooner but may have been mistaken.
Required fields are marked *
ar_arguably romantic
November 12, 2022 at 9:18 AM
I feel like the age gap wouldn't have been that big of a controversy if he wasn't a single parent, especially a parent to a young woman in her 20s. Young woman+older man couples are a little more socially acceptable than older woman+young man.
I know it was just a quirk of fate, but I love knowing that So-rim is winning the breakup.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 10:01 AM
A good weekender is about family relationships- and about what family means. A stepmom who is only five or so years older than her stepdaughter is an example of an uncommon family relationship (two centuries ago it would not have been) that would make for a different relationship.
And I love that So-rm if 'winning' the breakup. But even more that this pairing seems to make sense when normally such an age gap would indicate otherwise. We will certainly see prejudice against it as part of the story- there has to be.
Required fields are marked *
Dorotka
November 12, 2022 at 9:27 AM
Be My Dream Family was a great weekender masked as a daily 😁
As for She and Her Perfect Husband, I have heard (koalasplayground?) that the issue was that the official approval was retracted because of too intimate scenes between the couple they showed in their promos. (Well, they were promoting a romcom, * cough * ). Thus the production team is busy cutting some scenes out... grump...
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 9:42 AM
The Censors struck again. I hate this. But I will still watch the show.
You are right about BE MY DREAM FAMILY- It should have been a weekender.
Required fields are marked *
darwi
November 12, 2022 at 1:41 PM
Thanks for the info.
The censors might have seen a different preview, because I did not recall something out the ordinary. A few kisses.
But it is true than in a lot of drama a couple in love stay 2m apart... so...
Required fields are marked *
darwi
November 13, 2022 at 11:54 PM
@dorotka @oldawyer I just saw a trailer on wetv that says "premiere tonight" for She and her perfect husband !
Of course, all comments are quite weary... but I had to share.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 14, 2022 at 7:31 AM
Good news. Thank you so much for this.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 14, 2022 at 7:35 AM
For those who depend upon Viki, like me, I just checked, and they do now show SHE AND HER PERFECT HUSBAND as "On Air" and the first episode as 25% subbed.
Required fields are marked *
Dorotka
November 19, 2022 at 5:59 AM
Thanks. I saw the message only now, but checked in the meantime first 10 episodes... and, hmmm, can't say I'm enthusiastic about the show 😒
Required fields are marked *
sorrynotsorry
November 12, 2022 at 11:34 AM
With regard to The Fabulous, it is my understanding that there is a pivotal scene regarding a Halloween party/crowd in the drama that couldn't be taken out. Due to the tragedy that happened, there is now a delay in airing the show.
Required fields are marked *
Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
November 12, 2022 at 12:38 PM
That's what I read, too. @oldawyer, I'm curious where you saw that January 1 release date - my Netflix (US) page just shows it "coming soon." I wonder if January 1 is just a placeholder date, and if they'll release it in Korea.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 4:02 PM
I now do not recall where I saw the date- it may have been Asianwiki and if not, it was a similar site.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 14, 2022 at 10:55 AM
I now realize it was simply listed that way on Google- and may very well be a placeholder as you said.
PYC
November 12, 2022 at 4:33 PM
Three Bold Siblings is indeed shaping up its game. It’s interesting that we will have two age-gap couples. The CEO is husband material and his relationship with So-rim would prevent the disaster of his daughter repeating So-rim’s pain - let’s see how the whole thing pans out. Then the budding relationship between young aunt and the doctor brother - didn’t see it coming esp the back story of their university days. This writer does have some very interesting and unconventional set up, as per her Unkind Women.
Lastly, the back story of SJ’s mom!? Only watched the raw version last night - need sub urgently to find out what it is.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 6:01 PM
There is real symmetry with the two age gap couples: Both brother and sister are the younger parts of each pair, with the older partner being a man on one hand and a woman on the other. Both partners are pictured as being responsible and respectable. I wonder if the writer will show each pair being treated the same or will there be more even bias against the noona romance?
Required fields are marked *
27 ar_arguably romantic
November 12, 2022 at 9:07 AM
Gaus Electronics: It got even funnier and more absurd in the finale week and ended wonderfully and with a lot of warmth. I laughed out loud so much. What a gem of a drama.
Love is for Suckers My enthusiasm for the main romance is sort of dying off, but I'm sort of invested in the show within a show, especially the potential pairing between the warmhearted webtoon artist and the self-centered chef. The horror mission was interesting with the different pairings and reactions.
Three Bold Siblings: I'm in it for SJ's mom to eventually get along with TJ and TJ's mom. SJ seems like he would be frustrating to be married to - he seems like the guy who would, not in a mean way, take his girlfriend for granted.
Required fields are marked *
28 Kittystanden
November 12, 2022 at 9:08 AM
Love in Contract — dropped. I really enjoyed this one starting out, but all the chaebol/family/second lead drama just drained it of much enjoyment. I paused to see what people thought of the end and it doesn’t sound worth it!
The Untamed - loved it. I had what I think is a pretty common progression with this show: skepticism to tolerance to enjoyment to love. So glad I stuck with it — thanks to everyone for the encouragement.
Nirvana in Fire 2 - paused halfway through months ago and just picked it up again. Really into it now, love Pingjing and Lin Xi (and Xun Feizhan!)
I miss having a kdrama I’m really into — hoping that Reborn Rich is fantastic or will try something older, maybe one of the family dramas I’m halfway through.
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 9:36 AM
Try :
~ Smile, You (really old .. but oh so funny and heartfelt and beautifully acted)
~ Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life
~ Backstreet Rookie
~ My Lovely SamSoon
Required fields are marked *
29 Isa is always time travelling
November 12, 2022 at 10:43 AM
I'm still watching Thirty but seventeen.
And these last days I have finished The Nokdu Flower and At a distance, spring is green.
I have loved them both and they go to my Top 10.
Required fields are marked *
30 Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
November 12, 2022 at 12:40 PM
Current:
Love in Contract:
People went back and forth on my screen.
Words came from their mouths.
There was no cat.
Love Is for Suckers: Grrr.
Glitch: This show took a huge leap with lots of flying twists and turns and stuck the landing. Very satisfying. It was impossible to look away whenever Nana and Jeon Yeo-been were onscreen but the whole cast was pitch-perfect.
Gaus Electronics: So much fun! Need more Kwak Dong-yeon soon.
One Dollar Lawyer: I’m procrastinating on the final episode both because I’m irked at the waste of potential and because I don’t want to see the last of fabulous Namgoong Min and his fabulous suits and sunglasses.
Older stuff:
I had a Glitch-shaped hole in my viewing schedule that I’m filling with Wok of Love aka Greasy Melo. I’ve been adequately warned/spoiled about its shortcomings and virtues. I wanted something slightly surreal and goofy, and it’s delivering so far.
I finished When the Weather Is Fine, although I don’t know why. Can Seo Kang-joon please have better projects when he gets out of the army? Preferably with roles that allow him to move his facial muscles more than once per episode?
Required fields are marked *
darwi
November 12, 2022 at 1:46 PM
I adore your comment on Love in contract, it made me burst laughing.
Required fields are marked *
bong-soo
November 12, 2022 at 3:10 PM
Re SKJ post military. How about a WATCHER 2? I consider OCN’s WATCHER (2019) (Viki US) my favorite SKJ drama. He was kick-ass. The three lead format (with Han Suk-kyu and Kim Hyun-joo the other two) fitted him perfectly.
Required fields are marked *
PYC
November 12, 2022 at 4:36 PM
Agreed that Watcher is the one to see the diversity of SKJ - and it’s a great drama.
Required fields are marked *
31 technicat
November 12, 2022 at 12:41 PM
Binged Gaus from beginning to end this week, a rare finale that was as good as the rest of the series. Rolled into the end of Love in Contract on fumes, but at least I finished it which is something given my long queue of unfinished dramas.
I have a week left in my cheap Viki subscription so might try to wrap up Mr. Queen. Enjoyed the comic stylings of Shin Hye-sun but dragging toward the end. Or I might just rewatch My Ahjussi for the umpteenth time.
Required fields are marked *
32 thimble
November 12, 2022 at 1:02 PM
Haven’t visited Dramabeans in ages. I’ve missed you all!
MARRIAGE IN CONTRACT: A big letdown! Like they took What’s Wrong with Sec’y Kim and squeezed all the charm out. At first, I thought maybe I wasn’t liking it because I had just completed a much better show, QUE SERA,SERA. But it seems that many of you were equally unimpressed with MIC.
QUE SERA, SERA. This 2007 show just came on Viki. It is noir-ish, passionate, and raw. Loved it! The characters don’t always behave in logical or predictable, or acceptable ways. But they’re always human. The story is not unlike Discovery of Love, which also came on Viki this year and which also starred Eric Mun.
GAUS ELECTRONICS. Thumbs down. Not for me. Office stories have to be really exceptional to hold my interest, and this didn’t.
GOOD MANAGER. Also thumbs down. After all the hype, I had to try it, but I Just don’t find accounting to be very funny or engrossing. Maybe you have to be Korean to appreciate this one?
THE DIVORCE LAWYER IN LOVE. Like a fizzy bottle of champagne popping. An older rom-com starring the same guy who played the lead in “Marriage, Not Dating.” For a change, the office workers were substantial characters each funny in their own detailed way. I was in rom-com heaven.
ALL ABOUT MY ROMANCE. (2013). Two politicians from opposite political parties fall for each other. The story of political enemies seemed fresh and relatable in our polarized times.
LITTLE WOMEN. Okay, it had good production values. I just can’t get into anything with Kim Go Eun in the lead. She has all the charm of a hard boiled egg, in my opinion. Didn’t like her in Yumi’s Cell either.
THE WORLD OF THE MARRIED. Just wow. So glad Kdrama-land is still able to occasionally squeeze out a great one.
Required fields are marked *
PYC
November 12, 2022 at 4:42 PM
Great to see another Beanie love Que Sera Sera. It still amazes me to this day that this 2007 (!) drama with its uncompromising storyline and unlikeable characters would make it such a memorable drama.
Best work of Eric! It also makes me a lifelong fan of Jung Yumi.
Required fields are marked *
amfalulawatching
November 13, 2022 at 8:09 AM
I thought Que Sera Sera was pretty great too!
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 6:52 AM
I too LOVED Que Sera Sera.
Hilarious!!
Poignant!!
It had me hooked in the 'car scene' itself .. Hadn't expected a KDrama to have such a 'raw character' with 'seemingly' non-conventional 'morals' LOL
I loved it!!
Sometimes the FL gave me cringe vibes and I wanted to shove some rebars into her spine ..
But still .. Eric Mun !!!!
He is BRILLIANT. and carried the show for me.
Of course the storyline too.
Old School SOLID MELO .. Loved the roller coaster RIDE!!!
Pre-2010 they made some EXCELLENT Melos .. with the right lenses you will be lavished with a feast of emotions .. and SUPERB acting.
Required fields are marked *
Bosuji
October 6, 2023 at 6:56 AM
100% agree on the fact that they weren't afraid to explore 'unlikeable' characters and made them so HUMAN that you ended up investing in them full on.
It Happened in Bali
Some of the Go Soo shows of yore
Innocent Man
Beyond the Clouds
YUP .. those were some heavy duty beautifully crafted Melos
Required fields are marked *
PYC
October 6, 2023 at 9:21 PM
This makes me think that dramas like these should not be live-watched as more than likely they will be dropped by the 1-3 episode mark.
Required fields are marked *
Kurama
October 6, 2023 at 7:10 AM
It was pretty different from the usual rom-coms I watched when I started to watch Kdrama.
Eric Mun and Jung Yumi were great in their role.
Required fields are marked *
OldLawyer
November 12, 2022 at 6:23 PM
DIVORCE LAWYER IN LOVE is a favorite of mine. The FL played a major character in the Academy Award winning film PARASITE.
Required fields are marked *
technicat
November 12, 2022 at 9:00 PM
I liked her in Haeundae Lovers too.
Required fields are marked *
33 darwi
November 12, 2022 at 2:08 PM
We just finished Love in contract, and I feel let down by this drama. Maybe I had too many expectation of light and funny ? The chaebols story, the unlikeable 2ML, the even more unlikeable 2FL... and the lack of cat appearance.
I am part of the bewtiched by JiHo gang, so the watch was enterterning.
Meanwhile, we have started Zombie detective, and it delivers on the fun.
I have not yet finished the excellent Stranger (will do tomorrow), and have made some progress on The girl who sees scents so as to be able to tell my friend that I fully watched it I suppose.
I have not been able to convince my friend to watch Love like the galaxie. She finds the beginning boring and too political...
Well, the rythm of cdrama is fine with me.
I finished Mr Bad which delivered the fun and chemistry lacking in Love in contract.
But before, I started one more... I wanted to see more of Chen Xing Xu so here comes Truth. His voice (his real one) is not at all the same as in Fall in love. Deception. It's a slow moving investigation but the episodes feel shorts. It has intelligent characters, and this is quite enjoyable. And there is a Captain Li (Zhao Ren Jie) that needs to be in more dramas!
I realise that I prefer to have very intelligent characters or very silly ones, but I am not interested by the more realistic/normal. Now where do I find a good psychopath ?
Required fields are marked *
technicat
November 12, 2022 at 2:55 PM
Psychopath Diary
Required fields are marked *
ar_arguably romantic
November 12, 2022 at 10:39 PM
I can't tell if the ML there should be considered a good psychopath. Seems more like a bad psychopath because he's such a good guy